Unit Plan

Grade: 12

Content Area: Social Studies

Course Name: MPCC Civics and U.S. Government

Unit: 6- Public and Foreign Policy

Description of Unit: During this unit of study students will complete three subunits, which look at the roles of citizenship in local, national, and global communities. The first subunit will be an examination of American Indian sovereignty and their relationship with the United States government. Then students will look at how public policy is developed, evaluated, and acted upon. While also looking at how the U.S. Armed Forces play a role in both public policy and foreign affairs. The third subunit looks at Foreign Policy, including how the U.S. works with other countries. The unit concludes with a final project that looks at how the U.S. effectively utilizes diplomats and international organizations to take leadership roles in various world events.

Approximate Time Needed: 18 Days

Learning Targets

Assessments

Instructional Considerations

Instructional Approach

Resources

6.1 I can explain American Indian sovereignty and its relationship to the United States Government.

6.2 I can identify public policy issues by developing, evaluating, and designing a course of action.

6.3 I can explain the purpose and role of the U.S. Armed Forces in supporting American policy.

6.4 I can explain what a nation state is.

6.5 I can explain how international law impacts world affairs.

6.6 I can analyze the impact nation states have in the United Nations.

6.7 I can explain how the United States uses diplomats and international organizations to promote its foreign policy.

6.8 I can provide examples of the United States success and failure in influencing affairs in other countries.

6.9 I can explain the reasons for and against the United States maintaining a leadership role in international events.

6.10 I can explain how the United States effectively uses diplomats and international organizations to achieve its foreign policy ends.

Pre-Assessments:

  • What do you know about American Indian Sovereignty?
  • What is public policy.
  • Historical dates of key foreign policy events.

Formative Assessments:

  • Perception of American Indians
  • Quiz on American Indian Terms

Benchmark Assessment:

Student Background Knowledge:

  • Students know and can explain the three branches of government.
  • Students are aware that there are policies that affect day to day life.

Essential Questions:

  • Guiding Question: How does leadership affect my role as a citizen in a global community?
  • What are the historical roots and political impact of American Indian sovereignty?
  • What is the relationship of the American Indian and the U.S. Government today?
  • What is public policy and how do we identify public policy issues?
  • How do we develop a course of action on public policy issues?
  • What is the role and purpose of the U.S. Armed Forces?
  • What are nation states and why are the important?
  • What are international laws and how do they impact foreign policy?
  • What is the role of the United Nations?

  • What is the purpose of international organizations and diplomats in foreign policy?
  • How do we identify if diplomats and/or international organizations have been effective?

Academic Language:

  • Define
  • Describe
  • Evaluate
  • Reflect

Content Specific Language: 

Full Glossary

  • Allotment
  • Assimilate
  • Authoritarian Government
  • Civilized
  • Consensus Democracy
  • Culture
  • Federal Indian Policy
  • Genocide
  • Indian Removal Act
  • Indigenous People
  • Representative Democracy
  • Semi-Sovereign
  • Sovereignty
  • Stereotype
  • Treaty

Unit 6 Lesson Plan

Subunit 1. American Indian Sovereignty (Learning Target 6.1)

Subunit 2. Public Policy (Learning Targets 6.2 and 6.3)

Subunit 3. Foreign Policy (Learning Targets 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, and 6.8)

Final Project (Learning Targets 6.9 and 6.10):

Students will be analyzing the reasons for and against the U.S. engaging in leadership roles during international events. The lens for this will be looking at how the U.S. effectively utilized their diplomats and international organizations to achieve their foreign policy ends.

Cross-Content Integration:

Web Resources:

Research:

Technology Resources:

Google Docs

Moodle

Community Resources:

None